Parenting skills are taught to parents referred by the Department of Children’s Services, local churches, businesses, local court system, and self-motivated parents who are interested in obtaining strategies to empower and strengthen their families.

Become a Cat Socializer at the Harbor!
Love Cats? Love Coffee? Join us Wednesdays anytime between 1-3pm (any or all of the time) enjoy a cup of coffee and help socialize our adoptable cats and kittens. For a shy or under-socialized cat, the world can be a scary place. If a cat feels threatened by the world around them (even if these threats are imagined), they can quickly withdraw from social activities and spend all day hiding. What we want is for our cats/kittens to gain or regain their confidence. Working with a shy/fearful cats takes time and patience, but the experience is extremely rewarding!

Love Dogs? Love Pastries?
Join us at the Harbor Fridays from 3-5pm (any or all of the time) and become a dog walker/socializer.
The benefits for our adoptable dogs are simple and proven effective
• Exercise keeps shelter dogs calm, happy, and content
• Improves the behavioral, mental, emotional health and overall well being
• Increased socialization
• Increases our dogs chance for a quicker adoption, because they are far more relaxed, happy,and calm
We all know that spending time with a dog has benefits for us humans! Dog waking improves exercise motivation, stress control and community spirit…just to name a few.
Thank you to Donut Palace of Winchester for providing the delicious pastries for this program. See you at the Harbor!

Animal Harbor, in partnership with the Franklin County Library and Wendy’s, is proud to announce a new reading program in our community. We will launch Paws to Read on March 2, 2018, in collaboration with Read Across America Day.
It might be impossible for any one person to adopt every pet in need of a good home, but our youngest Harbor Helpers can do the next best thing.
Children ages 2-18 who are able to read at any level are invited to the shelter to read to our adoptable cats and dogs in our adoption rooms. The program will help children improve their reading skills, help socialize our adoptable pets, and develop stronger human-animal bonds for both animals and people.
This program is simple. Visit the Franklin County Library and choose your book. The library will extend a certificate on behalf of Wendy’s.
Come to the shelter and read…Our adoptable cats and dogs are great listeners!
Return your book to the library, once returned the certificate will be stamped.
Collect four stamps and then enjoy a frosty treat from Wendy’s.
Starting March 3rd the Paws to Read program will be open every Saturday from 2-4pm.
Should you have a large group or club interested in participating, please call the shelter directly to set up an alternate time at 962-4472. See you at the Harbor!